Adjustable head support



Sept. 12, 1939. 7 LEWALLEN ZJTRJQY ADJUSTABLE HEAD SUPPORT Filed Feb. 3,1956 Wtor y M v A fl'orney Sept. 12, 1939. A. M. LEWALLEN 2,172,797ADJUSTABLE HEAD SUPPORT Filed Feb. 3, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I) Val/l1,

y l r 4 'a'ii Hi i A ltorneu Patented Sept. 12, 1939 UNITED STATESADJUSTABLE HEAD SUPPORT Alvis M. Lewallen, Fort Worth, Tex., assignor ofone-fourth to Dorothy E. Jones, and one-fourth to George D. Wright, bothof Fort Worth, Tex.

Application February 3, 1936, Serial No. 62,174

2 Claims.

This invention relates to chair attachments and head supports for beautyshops and like enterprises, and it has particular reference to apparatusadapted to be attached to a conventional chair, or a chair of specialdesign, to support the head while certain operations are performedthereon and its principal object resides in the provision of equipmentsuitable for adjustably supporting the head in such manner as to at onceafford comfort to the person upon whom the operations are beingperformed and convenience for the operator.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a novelassembly of elements wherein is embodied certain practical and salientfeatures especially adapting the apparatus to use in beauty salons wherecertain operations are performed on the hair, such as waving, curling,and the like, and particularly in the art of permanent waving whichoperation usually requires considerable time and is sometimes tediousand tiresome to both the subject and the operator due to the use ofheavy curling and heating equipment, and the device affords a restfulsupport for the head of the subject and greatly expedites the handlingof the operation by the operator due to the adjustable features of theassembly.

A further object of the invention is manifest in the provision of a headsupport capable of affording an adjustable rest for the head, relievingthe subject of the burden of supporting the weight of the numerousheating units, and other paraphernalia necessary in administering apermanent wave, and holding the head in the proper position for theconvenient access of the operator.

Broadly, the invention seeks to comprehend the provision of aninexpensive and practical adjustable support for the head, attachable toa chair back, and conveniently provided with attachments for receivingarticles used by the operator in performing the work required on thehead of the subject.

While the foregoing objects are paramount, other and lesser objects willbecome manifest as the description proceeds, taken in connection withthe appended drawings wherein:

Figure 1 illustrates the invention, in perspective, as the device isused showing the same attached to a chair back and applied to a subject.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the invention, showing a portion cut away toillustrate certain adjustments.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary portion of a chair back showing one form ofsupporting bracket attached thereto.

Figure 4 is a perspective fragmentary view of an upholstered chair backillustrating another form of the supporting bracket.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary portion of one end of one of the yoke membersillustrating the manner in which the ends of the chin straps areadjustably secured.

Figure 6 is the preferred form of detachable supporting bracket, orclamp, shown attached to a fragmentary portion of a chair.

Figure '7 is a perspective view of the invention shown attached to aconventional chair and illustrating, in detail, the convenient tray.

Figure 8 is a perspective illustration of the preferred form of tray.

Figure 9 is a modified form of tray clamp shown secured to a fragmentaryportion of a table.

Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view of the adjustable securing mediumsfor the yoke and the neck bracket.

Figure 11 is the same as Figure 10 except the adjustments are shownfixed.

Figure 12 is a fragmentary front view of the yoke and neck bracket,showing portions cut away to illustrate the adjustable securing mediumsfor the yoke and neck bracket and illustrating, in dotted lines, thevariable positions of the neck bracket, and

Figure 13 is a side elevational view of the main body of the inventionwhich bears the yoke and neck bracket and illustrating, in dotted lines,the relative positions of these members.

The invention consists primarily of a clamp or bracket l which, in itspreferred form, as shown in Figures 1, 6 and 7, is substantially of aninverted U-shape in lateral cross-section and is adapted to bepositioned over the back of a conventional chair 2. The bracket I isprovided with an integral portion 3 extending rearwardly thereof andprovided with a socket 4 for a vertical standard 5 which supports theassembly hereinafter described. The integral portion 3 is also providedwith a socket 6 pivotally receiving a pintle l of a convenient tray 8,as shown in Figures 1, 7 and 8. The clamp or bracket I is adjustablysecured to the back of a chair 2 by means of knurled headed clamp screws9.

The standard 5 is slidably disposed through the socket t which isprovided with a preferably rectangular passage It allowing the standardto be vertically adjusted therethrough and secured by a set screw ll.Fixed to the uppermost end of the standard 5 is a substantially T-shapedmember 82 having a horizontally arranged passage !3 therethrough whichslidably receives a horizontal bar M which is adjustably secured withinthe member i2 by a set screw 52 threaded into the top or side thereof,als exemplified in Figures 1 and '7.

Integral with the forward end of the bar I4 is a body member l5 whosesides project laterally of the bar 84 and form clevises a in which arepivoted at b a pair of opposingly curved yoke members It, as shown inFigures 1, 2, 7, 12 and 13, and whose curvature extends outwardly fromthe body [5 and upwardly and assumes a slightly downward turn at theirouter ends 0, as shown in Figures 1 and 7.

As previously stated, the bar It is preferably hollow and its integralconnection with the body l5 afiords a substantially rectangular passageI! through the latter to accommodate the horizontally disposedsupporting arms 18 of a neck bracket E9. The arms l8 are arrangedparallel and are substantially L-shaped, their upturned outer ends (2being apertured to receive a bolt and thumb nut 20 which extends throughthe slot e of the integral support 2! which is adjustably positionedbetween the upturned ends d of the arms It, as illustrated in Figures 1,7 and 13. Thus the bracket I9 can be adjusted longitudinally of thepassage I! through the body l5.

The undersides of the clevises a of the body 45 are provided withrectangular apertures 1 which receive the upwardly extending beveledends 22 of a substantially G-shaped clamp 23 having a threaded stem 24secured therein, as shown in Figures 10, 11 and 12, and on whose upperend is threaded a knurled nut 25 whose downwardly directed integral boss26 bears against the top of a slidably mounted sleeve 21 having itslowermost end tapered or beveled to provide a wedge which bearlsdownwardly between the arms l8 and retains these members by frictionalengagement therewith. The beveled ends 22 of the C-clamp 23 engage theinner sides of the yoke members It at h when the nut 25 is threadeddownwardly upon the stem 24 drawing the clamp 23 upwardly.

Obviously this movement of the clamp 23, by reason of the beveledupturned ends 22 thereof, will urge the yoke members it outwardly unlesssome means are. provided to retain the latter against the beveledsurfacefs of the ends 22 of the clamp 23 at h when the latter is drawnupwardly. The outer ends 0, therefore, of the yoke members l6 areconnected together by a strip 28 of soft material, such as linen, or thelike, whose ends are inserted upwardly between the outer ends 0 of theyoke members It and a relatively small rod or pin 29 whose ends areembedded in the members I6, as exemplified in Figures 5 and 7, andturned outwardly and over the ends 0 and adjulsted to the propertautness, as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Thus, in operation, the device is adjusted on a chair back 2, in themanner shown in Figures 1, 6 and 7, and the standard 5 is verticallyadjusted in the socket 4 to position the. yoke members It at the desiredheight. The subject is seated in the chair so that the head and neck areencircled by the curved yoke members l6, a|s illustrated in Figure l,and the strip 28 is adjusted across the space between the outer ends 0of the members 56, in the manner previously describe-d, in order thatthe chin of the subject can repose thereon. The pressure thus applied tothe strip 28 will urge the members l6 inwardly and more closely engagethe bevel surfaces of the ends 22 of the clamp 23.

When the subject is properly seated in the chair and the device ispositioned and adjusted, as stated, the neck bracket I9 is adjusted tothe back of the neck, as shown in Figure 1, by loosening the nut 28 andmoving the bracket IQ forwardly or backwardly as desired, firmly fixingthe same against the neck at a point slightly below the hair line andretaining the subject in this position, while the chin i|s supported bythe strip 28, so that the operator can have free acess to the subjectshair and apply the necessary instruments thereto down to the lowermostedge thereof on the back of the neck, as illustrated in Figure 1.

Palpably, the device can be adjusted to persons of various sizes andageis by raising or lowering the assembly, as provided for in thevertical adjustments, and by varying the distance between the ends 0 ofthe members l6 as required. When the proper adjustment is accomplishedon the neck bracket H] the strip 28 is adjusted to retain the yokemembers It and prevent their spreading apart and relieving the pressureapplied at h on the beveled faceis of the upturned ends 22 of the clamp23, as previously described.

There is no independent holding means for the neck bracket IS since thenut 25, threaded upon the stem 24, and the clamp 23 constitute thesecuring medium for both the neck bracket 19 and the yoke members 16. Inother words, all of these elements must be adjusted and secured at thesame time thereby minimizing the component parts of the aslsembly.

The handy tray 8, illustrated in detail in Figure 8, and shown attachedto the device in Figures l and '7, serves as a receptacle for variousinstruments used by the operator in accomplishing the desired work onthe subject. The tray 8 may also be used independently of the assemblyby pivoting the same in the table clamp 30 illustrated in Figure 9. Theclamp 30 can also be attached to a conventional chair arm or any similarobject. The pintle l of the tray 8 will permit the latter to freelyswing from side to side or operate in a complete circle.

Although the invention has been described with great particularity,certain changes and modifications may be resorted to from time to time,and such changes and modifications as may be considered as coming withinthe spirit and intent of the invention may also be considered as fallingwithin the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a head support having a vertically adjustablestandard and a horizontally adjustable bar mounted on the vertical bar,a pair of opposingly arranged yoke members, each of which is pivoted toa bracket member mounted on the outer end of said horizontal bar, anadjustable neck rest slidably engaging said bracket and a single meansfor holding the said yoke members and the said neck rest in adjustedposition.

2. In combination with a head support having a vertically adjustablestandard and a horizontally adjustable bar mounted on the said verticalbar, a pair of opposingly arranged yoke members, each of which ispivoted to a bracket member mounted on the outer end of the said bar, anadjustable neck rest slidably engaging the said bracket, a C-shapedclamp having bevelled ends and means threadedly engaged with a memberengaging meanls within the said bracket member and bearing on the neckrest adapted to engage the inner ends of the said yoke members.

ALVIS M. LEWALLEN.

